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Having spent significant time in Poland, Ukraine, Serbia and Russia, I totally disagree with the OP. The impression I got is that men from those countries would rather drink, get in fights, and support their local football team instead of paying attention to the sea of stunning ladies surrounding them. Not complaining since their behavior benefits American expats who know how to treat women.
Also, the men from better-off families in those countries are spoiled rotten. Imagine a teenage boy playing video games while mom does their laundry and cuts the grass. Parents who lived most of their lives under communism are sacrificing everything for their children to have a better life, especially their sons. Which is all well and good until you consider that some poor girl is going to end up with these spoiled babies.
As far as strutting when walking, you need to see how Eastern European guys walk...imagine John Wayne after he has just dismounted a horse. And spitting every 10 seconds to boot.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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In the 60s you could get beaten up for having long hair, so I think that repressive, intolerant era still exists, but is fading away.
American men seem the most averse and insecure about physical intimacy with each other of any country - even hugging is vaguely 'gay', as is holding hands, kissing on the cheek, or almost any other form of non-aggressive physical contact. Maybe some of that aggression is a latent desire for bodily contact? All of which are normal in other societies and in other eras.
Meanwhile, alot of straight American women are very touchy-feely with each other, to the point when showing off with a 'lesbian' kiss isn't a big deal. There's a real gap between the two genders which seems unique to modern, Anglo Western culture.
I think the emotional relationships between men have been stilted as a result of this.
There is a website i visit with pictures of nightlife from all over the world. I can tell you that by far and away American men look the most macho. Most European men have the boy next door look while American men have a dominant look, at least the type that go to clubs, What surprises me is that Latin American men, who are thought of as macho, look nice and sweet compared to American men.
I noticed that a skinny build is taboo for American men but common in most of Europe and Latin America (and I'm sure Asia as well). It's just amazing to see these kind looking skinny guys, no tattoos, no signs of excess masculinity, hanging out with beautiful girls. I am in awe this still exists in 2010, yet it seems to be common in much of the world.
Where I differ from the OP is that I don't blame American men. It's the American women who demand macho men. American women are not attracted to men who are not dominant looking and acting. So the guys are just giving the women what they want.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay F
There is a website i visit with pictures of nightlife from all over the world. I can tell you that by far and away American men look the most macho. Most European men have the boy next door look while American men have a dominant look, at least the type that go to clubs, What surprises me is that Latin American men, who are thought of as macho, look nice and sweet compared to American men.
I noticed that a skinny build is taboo for American men but common in most of Europe and Latin America (and I'm sure Asia as well). It's just amazing to see these kind looking skinny guys, no tattoos, no signs of excess masculinity, hanging out with beautiful girls. I am in awe this still exists in 2010, yet it seems to be common in much of the world.
Where I differ from the OP is that I don't blame American men. It's the American women who demand macho men. American women are not attracted to men who are not dominant looking and acting. So the guys are just giving the women what they want.
You can't blame entirely blame women, I think it comes down to the super competitive attitude that is so fundamental to American society and extends from business to dating. American society is obsessed with money and power, and since it puts these things first then it will always come back to that.
In places like Europe, culture is more important, so being poor in a place like Netherlands sometimes doesn't even factor in, especially if the guy is some charming intellectual type, lol.
American men try so hard to be cool and appear macho, but it's often so obviously artificial that they look ridiculous, like wearing their insecurity on their sleeves.
Some European men have the same complexes (I noticed in Germany), but not as many as in the US. One German woman commented that some (German) men are "Gockelhaft" (rooster-like) in their strut and behavior. Another one asked me why so many American men keep their hair shorter than an inch.
American men seem the most averse and insecure about physical intimacy with each other of any country - even hugging is vaguely 'gay', as is holding hands, kissing on the cheek, or almost any other form of non-aggressive physical contact. Maybe some of that aggression is a latent desire for bodily contact? All of which are normal in other societies and in other eras.
"Normal in other societies", can you be more specific? I can't think of any European society where interaction such as holding hands or kissing on cheeks on a non-joking basis would be the norm between your average heterosexual males? I can tell you, it sure is not where i live, and this has nothing to do with "macho insecurity" or homophobia. It is just not part of the local culture or customs, and i cannot think of any reason why it should be. We respect others beliefs about "personal space" and in general manners while interacting with each other.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UTHORNS96
A lot of idiocy in this thread.
I was about to say the same, but had to write a little more. Many of the posters in this thread seem to be far out of touch with reality, real everyday life.
"Normal in other societies", can you be more specific? I can't think of any European society where interaction such as holding hands or kissing on cheeks on a non-joking basis would be the norm between your average heterosexual males? I can tell you, it sure is not where i live, and this has nothing to do with "macho insecurity" or homophobia. It is just not part of the local culture or customs, and i cannot think of any reason why it should be. We respect others beliefs about "personal space" and in general manners while interacting with each other.
I was about to say the same, but had to write a little more. Many of the posters in this thread seem to be far out of touch with reality, real everyday life.
I was wondering the same thing. It also amuses how for some people anything other than being a woman with a penis is automatically considered homophobic, which in turn they assume to imply being a closet homosexual.
I find it as bizarre as saying that not being a pedophile means you're a closet pedophile.
This thread seems to be just your average American (instert random group of people here) are GUILTY of (instert your random form of behavior here), meanwhile in (instert a random, very vague description of a group of people living somewhere far away) the people are not GUILTY of... and so on. While you're at it, insert huge amounts of stereotyping, anecdotal observations, generalisations, and assumptions here, here, and here. What a waste of bandwidth, once again.
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